Apple may be looking to lock out unauthorized iOS users

Apple has applied for a patent on a method to protect mobile devices from …

Apple has applied for a patent on a method to differentiate between authorized and unauthorized users of a particular iOS device. Once an unauthorized user is detected, the device can then automatically disable certain features or send notifications to Twitter or other services.

The patent, titled "Systems and Methods for Identifying Unauthorized Users of an Electronic Device," describes several ways a device could sense who is using an iPhone or iPad. Among the methods considered are voice print analysis, photo analysis, heartbeat analysis (!), hacking attempts, or even "noting particular activities that can indicate suspicious behavior."

If the various analyses detect someone who is not authorized to use the device, it could set off a number of automated features designed to protect the device's data, suss out the offending party, and alert the device owner. Sensitive data could be backed up to a remote server and the device could be wiped. The device could automatically snap pictures of the unauthorized user and record the GPS coordinates of the device, as well as log keystrokes, phone calls, or other activity. That information could be sent along with an alert to any useful service, such as e-mail, voicemail, Twitter, Facebook, or a "cloud service" like MobileMe.

As AppleInsider notes, Apple apparently experimented with enabling the iPad to recognize different authorized users and automatically change some settings for that particular user. Such a feature could be somewhat useful on iPads, which are sometimes shared among family members in homes and among several users in schools and businesses.

This proposed patent takes the capability one step further, by effectively locking out snoopers and thieves altogether, and alerting the device user of possible improprieties. The features would no doubt be welcome to enterprise users, who need safeguards around data that may be on a mobile device.

97 Reader Comments

The iPad could use light multi-user capabilities, and if someone started screwing with my phone in ways I don't, I'd be very happy to be alerted to it and potentially have the phone locked out or disabled.

The title is a little misleading. Reading the title, I thought this was a way for "evil, big brother Apple" to nuke jailbroken iPhones from orbit. Instead it seems like additional layers of security for you to personally enable on your device.

Is it just me or are patents getting more and more ridiculous? I can understand patenting something that took years of research and is highly unique and unlikely to be produced by someone else unless reverse engineered. Now that, to me, seems to be the purpose of patents. But this patent would probably cover my own phone already. I have an android app installed so that whenever someone removes the sim card on my phone and puts a new one in the phone automatically emails the number associated with the sim card to my personal email. That really does fall under the umbrella of this patent.

Anyway, not all patents are bunk but something like this really is far too general. I certainly hope that Apple isn't awarded this patent.

Is it just me or are patents getting more and more ridiculous? I can understand patenting something that took years of research and is highly unique and unlikely to be produced by someone else unless reverse engineered. Now that, to me, seems to be the purpose of patents. But this patent would probably cover my own phone already. I have an android app installed so that whenever someone removes the sim card on my phone and puts a new one in the phone automatically emails the number associated with the sim card to my personal email. That really does fall under the umbrella of this patent.

Anyway, not all patents are bunk but something like this really is far too general. I certainly hope that Apple isn't awarded this patent.

I was thinking the same thing. How in the world is this patentable? I'm waiting for them to award someone a patent on breathing anything containing oxygen in the near future.

Now that jailbreaking is declared legal by the courts, that's not likely the reason. But good try at trolling.

You are so ignorant. While it's legal to jailbreak, Apple can still stop you from doing it with things like this. The whole reason they are doing this is to prevent jailbreakers from jailbreaking in the first place, hence it will wipe your data.

They just want to prevent you from doing it as much as they can, and they do it by saying it's for security purposes. But anyone smart should seriously be able to tell Apple just wants to stop jailbreakers. They can still make it more difficult or make the consequences worse from jailbreaking - They just can't take anyone to court anymore.

Apple should buy into cattle prod technology. If somebody steals my phone, i want the battery drained into the the person using it. I want them to flop on the ground like a seizing trout. Maybe it can detect a lack of heartbeat and stop the discharge to conserve enough battery to upload its current location.

"The device could automatically snap pictures of the unauthorized user "

Apple might want to rethink this bit a little pending what happens to that school district I drive through everyday...

The school district that was just informed that there would be no charges as of yesterday? Yeah, I think Apple can devote their attention elsewhere, as it appears that taking pictures of someone who is potentially stealing your phone or device isn't an issue for the fuzz.

Ah yes. The phone asks you every few minutes for your birth date, mother's maiden name and name of your pet every time you have a cold. Sorry, that hoarse voice does not match, please type it...

I used to think that a patent required an actual demonstrable device, not pie-in-the-sky brainstorming written down onto a patent form. If they cannot reliably (95% of the time??) distinguish 2 users apart or detect an intruder from fingerstrokes, why would their ideas be patentable. I'd like to patent a flying car that uses 6 rotors instead of the standard 4 or 2; I'd also like to patent a photo sensor that tracks bugs and concentrates a bank of LED lasers on the bug until it burns up - ecofriendly insect control. Maybe I'll hook it up to a roving robot that drives down the rown of crops and zaps anything that looks like a potato bug or a weevil...

Oh, I have to produce a real working device, not just some paper work?

So does an impressively buggy first iteration of software actually count as a "working device"??

Now that jailbreaking is declared legal by the courts, that's not likely the reason. But good try at trolling.

You are so ignorant. While it's legal to jailbreak, Apple can still stop you from doing it with things like this. The whole reason they are doing this is to prevent jailbreakers from jailbreaking in the first place, hence it will wipe your data.

They just want to prevent you from doing it as much as they can, and they do it by saying it's for security purposes. But anyone smart should seriously be able to tell Apple just wants to stop jailbreakers. They can still make it more difficult or make the consequences worse from jailbreaking - They just can't take anyone to court anymore.

Do you go with a single layer or a double layer of foil? Also, how do you best go about getting it to fit snugly around the ears?

Apple should buy into cattle prod technology. If somebody steals my phone, i want the battery drained into the the person using it. I want them to flop on the ground like a seizing trout. Maybe it can detect a lack of heartbeat and stop the discharge to conserve enough battery to upload its current location.

The conspiracy side of my brain wonders when in-store device activation will require a DNA sample, a retinal scan and a voiceprint. Obviously Apple isn't heading in this direction, but anti-theft and security features are most welcome. Find My iPhone has been a very successful service so why not build on it's success?

God help us if they make a mistake. So I am out in the field using my iPhone, which I depend on for everything short of breathing and heartbeat, but I am doing something out of place, not my usual behavior. I look down and my phone is dead and all data wiped, yikes!

BTW I am also disturbed by the idea that they would collect enough personal activity behavior in the first place.

A locked house is either safety and security for the house owner, or a jail, depending upon how the owner of the house views it. If I may at will lock it to keep you out and unlock it to let myself out or to allow my friends (and my larger and smaller brothers) in, then it is not a jail.

@badpool http://www.antidroidtheft.com/, I've never had to use it (thankfully) so I can't attest to it's worth, but it's never caused me any problems and is a nice piece of insurance

@polmbo seriously. Like the recent admission that Java engineers in sun had an unofficial game to see who could get the most ridiculous patent through the system. IT's like the patent office is the butt of some huge joke, except they don't realize it and the patents they grant are frequently used for unwarranted lawsuits and stifling innovation.

Amazing if it is used against thieves. If stealing an apple device means the police can just follow the gps, get the device back and arrest the thief, then apple devices effectively become unstealable. Sure sophisticated thieves could work around it, but to the vast majority of phone thieves would not know how to get around this.

"The device could automatically snap pictures of the unauthorized user "

Apple might want to rethink this bit a little pending what happens to that school district I drive through everyday...

The school district that was just informed that there would be no charges as of yesterday? Yeah, I think Apple can devote their attention elsewhere, as it appears that taking pictures of someone who is potentially stealing your phone or device isn't an issue for the fuzz.

The civil lawsuits are still pending. The criminal allegations were dropped.

Now that jailbreaking is declared legal by the courts, that's not likely the reason. But good try at trolling.

You are so ignorant. While it's legal to jailbreak, Apple can still stop you from doing it with things like this. The whole reason they are doing this is to prevent jailbreakers from jailbreaking in the first place, hence it will wipe your data.

They just want to prevent you from doing it as much as they can, and they do it by saying it's for security purposes. But anyone smart should seriously be able to tell Apple just wants to stop jailbreakers. They can still make it more difficult or make the consequences worse from jailbreaking - They just can't take anyone to court anymore.

I agree with ChrisLovesSAW because it is legal to jailbreak it doesn't mean they have to let you, in the ToS with Apple or AT&T they can say that any "jailbreaking" could result in lost of data. Its not a big brother fear its Apple protecting its profit which sounds viable. I think its a little to early to say he's a troll.

Quote:

Among the methods considered are voice print analysis, photo analysis, heartbeat analysis (!), hacking attempts, or even "noting particular activities that can indicate suspicious behavior."

Its like a double edge sword if they have the ability to accidentally erase data because they think you're an authorized user or if it creates a security hole, other then that it seems like good addons, just wish they couldn't patent things like that.

Apple should buy into cattle prod technology. If somebody steals my phone, i want the battery drained into the the person using it. I want them to flop on the ground like a seizing trout. Maybe it can detect a lack of heartbeat and stop the discharge to conserve enough battery to upload its current location.

Amazing if it is used against thieves. If stealing an apple device means the police can just follow the gps, get the device back and arrest the thief, then apple devices effectively become unstealable. Sure sophisticated thieves could work around it, but to the vast majority of phone thieves would not know how to get around this.

With an iPhone 4 all you have to do is hold it with a death grip to keep the signal from going out, haha. But seriously, slip or use the the device in a steel mesh bag and it won't be talking to any cell towers or wifi hotspots. I'd say that's a pretty simple circumvention.

Is it just me or are patents getting more and more ridiculous? I can understand patenting something that took years of research and is highly unique and unlikely to be produced by someone else unless reverse engineered. Now that, to me, seems to be the purpose of patents. But this patent would probably cover my own phone already. I have an android app installed so that whenever someone removes the sim card on my phone and puts a new one in the phone automatically emails the number associated with the sim card to my personal email. That really does fall under the umbrella of this patent.

Anyway, not all patents are bunk but something like this really is far too general. I certainly hope that Apple isn't awarded this patent.

I was thinking the same thing. How in the world is this patentable? I'm waiting for them to award someone a patent on breathing anything containing oxygen in the near future.

"On an iPhone" is the new patent meme. Like "on a computer" or "on the Internet" used to be.

Now that jailbreaking is declared legal by the courts, that's not likely the reason. But good try at trolling.

You are so ignorant. While it's legal to jailbreak, Apple can still stop you from doing it with things like this. The whole reason they are doing this is to prevent jailbreakers from jailbreaking in the first place, hence it will wipe your data.

They just want to prevent you from doing it as much as they can, and they do it by saying it's for security purposes. But anyone smart should seriously be able to tell Apple just wants to stop jailbreakers. They can still make it more difficult or make the consequences worse from jailbreaking - They just can't take anyone to court anymore.

Anyone smart enough would know that the device already has the capability for remote wipe or automatic wipe, and yet people are free to jailbreak their phones with impunity.

As someone said before, save your trolling for the next "whatever-gate".

A locked house is either safety and security for the house owner, or a jail, depending upon how the owner of the house views it.

It doesn't depend on how they view it, it depends on who has the keys.

The first thing that came to mind when I read the article is "who gets to pick who's authorized"? If it's the owner of the device that's fine. However I get the feeling it won't stop there.

It seems the ideal technology to enable and enforce ever more restrictive, abusive and ridiculous licensing terms on the user. While Steve Jobs is a control freak of epic proportions, to be fair, he's hardly alone. Hollywood, video game publishers, the RIAA, Microsoft, the cable companies and so on are all vying for as much power as they can get over consumers.

And will Microsoft now think about suing Apple? After all, Microsoft initiated the Windows Activation Technology a year or so ago, and I have a strong suspicion the Apple technology is an add-on to that.